by admin | Jun 21, 2023 | Activism, Blogging, Books, Careers, Climate, Coastal Management, Disaster, Disaster policy, Floodplain management, Florida, Hazard Mitigation, Journalism, Movies, Natural Hazards, Personal history, Philanthropy, Public policy, Public safety, Resilience, Travel, Urban Planning, Weather, Wildfire, Writing
One reason I have long loved being an urban planner is that, ultimately, planning is about imagining a better future. Or should be, anyway. Although I was in my early thirties before I returned to school for a pair of graduate degrees in Urban and Regional Planning...
by admin | Apr 16, 2022 | Activism, Books, Civil rights, Government, History, Personal history, Politics, Racism, Travel, War
It was spring break in the Chicago Public Schools this past week (April 11-15). Despite busy lives, I thought my wife and I should do something special with Alex, our 13-year-old grandson, so I proposed a visit to Springfield, the Illinois capital, to visit the...
by admin | Mar 30, 2020 | Aging, Careers, Chicago, Child Welfare, Coronavirus, Disaster, Education, Emergency Management, Healthcare, Medical, Parks, Personal health, Public health, Resilience, Travel, Urban Planning, Volunteerism, Weather, Writing
I miss my gym already, closed just two weeks ago. There was a profusion of equipment to keep anyone in shape, whether you were working on legs, biceps, core, cardio, some combination, whatever. Here at home, I have small barbells, some ankle weights, and perhaps most...
by admin | Mar 8, 2020 | Environment, Geography, Nature, Parks, Travel, Uncategorized, Wildlife
Last week, I was in Kearney, Nebraska, for three days, attending and speaking at the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association annual conference. But that is merely an excuse for being in the right place at the right time, for once in my life, to see one of nature’s...
by admin | Mar 31, 2019 | Careers, Disaster policy, Emergency Management, Gratitude, Natural Hazards, New Orleans, Personal history, Travel, Urban Planning
GRATITUDE ON PARADE#gratitudeonparade Kristin Hoskin had been on my list for these tributes, but I thought it wise to let the dust settle after the Christchurch terrorist attack before saluting her in Gratitude on Parade. Most certainly, however, her gracious reaction...
by admin | Jan 29, 2018 | Geography, History, Personal history, Restaurants, Transportation, Travel, Uncategorized
There is something distinct about boarding a cruise ship. An airplane, after all, no matter how big, is essentially a long, metal tube that flies. You can dress it up for international flights, but when all is said and done, you are simply spending a few hours in the...
